Stable shelter and method of making same



Aug. 25, 1970 D. E. BLOXOM STABLE SHELTER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Oct. 23, 1968 FIG. I

INVENTOR. DAVID E. BLOXOM FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,525,185 STABLE SHELTER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME David E. Bloxom, 3566 Cromart Court, Fort Worth, Tex. 76133 Filed Oct. 23, 1968, Ser. No. 769,795 Int. Cl. E04b 1/34; E04g 21/02 US. C]. 5273 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This specification discloses a stable shelter characterized by a center support; and a concrete umbrella mounted on the center support and consisting essentially of a collar having reinforcing bars fixed to the collar and extending radially to the edge of the umbrella, and concrete formed about the collar and the reinforcing bars. This specification also discloses a method of making the stable shelter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a stable shelter; and, more particularly, to a stable shelter made of concrete and having only a single center support.

Description of the prior art Heretofore, shelters which are stable have been large and bulky and analogous to buildings. Increasingly, however, there has been a realization that a single support simplifies shelter design and, furthermore, that concrete is a very desirable material from which to fabricate the shelter. Heretofore, the concrete structures embodying the single support have been of an involute-type structure, curving inward toward the center support and flaring outwardly and upwardly so as to effect compression in the concrete, which is notoriously weak in tension. Such structures leave the space therebeneath subject to elements of weather and are relatively ineffective against even mildly blowing rain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a shelter of the invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating how a top portion of an embodiment of the invention is formed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. Therein, shelter 11 consists essentially of concrete umbrella 13 mounted on center support 15, The umbrella 13 has at its center a collar 17 to facilitate the mounting of the umbrella 13 onto center support 15. Furthermore, umbrella 13 has lifting supports such as lifting hook 19 located about its upper surface. Preferably there are three lifting hooks located 120 degrees apart, measured from the center, or collar 17.

Center support 15 may comprise a pipe of suitable diameter. A foundation; such as the concrete 21; may be employed in lieu of simply driving center support 15 into the ground before umbrella 13 is mounted thereon.

Since the concrete employed in umbrella 13 to effect weather resistance has a low tensile strength, reinforcing bars are fixed to collar 17 and extend radially therefrom to the edge of umbrella 13.

To facilitate placement, component parts are made separately. For example, concrete umbrella 13 is premanufactured before it is mounted on center support 15.

Referring to FIG. 2, a suitable support form; such as, hemispherical end 23 for a pressure vessel is placed concentrically about post 25 on a suitable bed 27. The sup- 'ice port form 23 and the bed 27 is sprayed with a hydrophobic bond breaker before the concrete slurry is poured or formed thereon. A suitable hydrophobic bond breaker s a mixture or solution of parafiin wax in oil. Collar 29 1s placed about post 25. Collar 29 has reinforcing bars 31 fixed to it and extending radially from it to the edge of the concrete umbrella.

Onto the supporting structure 23 and about collar 29 and reinforcing bars 31 concrete 33 is formed.

Once concrete 33 has obtained suflicient set strength to hold a shape it is molded by sweep template 35 into form of the umbrella which it will ultimately assume. Sweep template 35 has an inner edge 37 running substantially parallel with support form 23 but spaced therefrom by dimension sufficient to effect the desired thickness and down-turn. Thus template 35 has an inner ring 39 which is placed about post 25 and revolved to effect the final outer shape of the umbrella 13.

In final shape, umbrella 13 must have a thickness of at least three inches. Ordinarily, a thickness of 3-4 inches is preferred although thicknesses up to six inches or more may be permissible in large shelters. Furthermore, umbrella 13 must have a downturn of at least four inches to effect a stable structure that is resistant to cracking upon impact of an object; such as an airborne rock or golf ball. Umbrella 13 will ordinarily have a diameter of 4-12 feet. The diameter may be varied to accord with the purpose of the shelter.

Lifting hooks 19 are emplaced in the raw concrete form and the structure left to cure.

Once concrete umbrella 13 has cured in place, it is lifted from about support form 23, bed 27, and post 25. Because the bondbreaker has been sprayed upon support 23 and bed 27 the separation and lifting of the umbrella is facilitated and can be effected with relatively little difficulty.

Center support 15 may be driven directly into the ground. Preferably, however, support 15 is maintained :vertical and a concrete base 21 poured about the foot of support 15. In this way, a stable structure is effected without having to drive center support 15 deeply into the ground.

Once center support 15 is in place, the concrete umbrella 13 is hoisted into position using lifting hooks 19 and mounted onto center support 15. The mounting of concrete umbrella 13 onto center support 15 is facilitated if the center support 15 has screw threads at its upper extremity and if collar 29 has screw threads which match. Alternatively, collar may be slipped down over the center support and, if both are metal, welded thereto. Any other means of mounting which will firmly aflix the relatively heavy concrete umbrella 13 to center support 15 may be employed.

Thus, it can be seen that this invention affords a stable shelter structure that is weather resistant since it is made of concrete, that can be readily fabricated and placed in position, that is decorative, yet stable, and curves downward and outward to afford protection to occupants there beneath from the elements of the weather, and that is particularly effective in affording protection from mildly blowing rain.

Having thus described the invention, it will be understood that such description has been given by way of illustration and example and not by way of limitation. The appended claims have defined the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A stable shelter comprising a center support and a concrete umbrella, the center support being beneath and having the concrete umbrella mounted thereon, the concrete umbrella consisting essentially of a collar, reinforc- 3 ing bars fixed to said collar and extending radially therefrom to the edge of said umbrella and concrete formed about said collar and said reinforcing bars.

2. The stable shelter of claim 1 wherein said collar is screwed onto a threaded end on said center support.

3. The stable shelter of claim 2 wherein a cover is provided for the interior of said collar.

4. The stable shelter of claim 1 wherein said collar is welded to said center support.

5. The stable shelter of claim 1 wherein said umbrella has a thickness of at least 3 inches and a downturn of at least 4 inches.

6. The stable shelter of claim 5 wherein said umbrella has a thickness of at least 3-4 inches.

7. The stable shelter of claim 5 wherein said umbrella has a diameter of 4-12 feet.

8. A method of forming a stable shelter comprising the steps of (a) emplacing a supporting form on a bed and concentrically about a post;

(b) spraying said supporting form and said bed with a hydrophobic bondbreaker;

(c) emplacing about said post and above said supporting form a collar having reinforcing bars fixed thereto and extending radially therefrom substantially parallel with said supporting form;

(d) forming concrete slurry over said supporting form and said bed and about said collar and said reinforcing bars;

(e) after said concrete slurry has cured to sufficient wet strength to retain a form, imparting an exterior form thereto by emplacing a sweep template about said post and rotating it about said concrete over said supporting form;

(f) emplacing lifting hooks in said wet concrete and allowing said concrete to cure;

(g) separating said cured concrete containing said collar and said reinforcing bar from said supporting form and said bed;

(h) embedding a center support at the site of said stable shelter in a supporting base; and

(i) mounting said cured concrete form onto said center support.

9. Method of claim 8 wherein said concrete is formed in the shape of an umbrella.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 284,846 9/1883 Herron 52--73 X 886,477 5/1908 Butner 52-73 X 2,296,984 9/ 1942 Corbetta 52l 69 X 2,499,498 3/ 1950 Hammond 52125 X 2,720,862 10/1955 Davis 5273 X 2,802,240 8/ 1957 Thomas 26454 3,260,028 7/1966 Fraser 52-745 3,289,363 12/1966 Patch 5280 X 3,319,386 5/1967 Francis 5273 X ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

